Two Kansas City police officers pleaded not guilty to felony assault charges arising from their arrest of a Black transgender woman.
Officers Matthew Brummett and Charles Prichard entered the pleas this week in the May 2019 arrest of Breona Hill, which was caught on video. The officers originally were charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree assault but the charges were upgraded to felony third-degree assault after a grand jury found the officers pinned Hill to the ground and slammed her head into the pavement while she was handcuffed.
A witness who filmed the arrest was convicted of a municipal violation but was later pardoned by Mayor Quinton Lucas.
